Life update

Hello readers...so sorry I've been M.I.A. for nearly 7 months! I forgot all about my neglected blog and am very, very sorry :-(

What's been going on since I last posted in March??

SO MUCH!

Apollo's feet are doing well, no broken toenails or infections to report :-) (yay!) He wants to be on top of Chase & I 24/7. If we are sitting together, he wants to lie across me & rest his head on Chase. I don't mind it, but Chase can only take it for so long.

Chase still works in property management and is dreading the upcoming 9 months of rain Seattle experiences from October thru about May. The good news is this time next month we're going to be visiting CALIFORNIA for a few days!!! (Los Angeles & San Diego to be exact.) Chase's best friend lives in LA and his little brother is going to be graduating from the Marines Basic Training!! I'm so happy we're able to go down for it :-) Flying to California from Seattle is so much cheaper than flying to visit our families in Iowa, which we did in August!

We spent a few days back home visiting both mine & Chase's families. It was so great seeing everyone & I got the chance to teach a class at my little sisters dance studio!! It was so great to be able to see how much she's grown into a "mini-me" :)

I am still teaching dance & group fitness as well as some massage on the side. I recently put in the 2 weeks notice for the massage clinic I work at in West Seattle. 14 miles one way is a lot to commute for what I get paid there, so I had to diligently look for another position. I interviewed at several places but ended up choosing a spa in Kenmore that's less than HALF the distance from my house than the place I'm currently employed. I start next week, and am very excited for the change.

We were supposed to get a "family photo" taken this coming Thursday for our Holiday card, but Chase ended up having to work since he's going out of town this weekend for a Bachelor party! Hopefully we can reschedule soon because I don't have many pix of all of us together :-/

Well, I suppose that's my update for now!! I will -hopefully- be back next week to blog about my weekend away in Eastern WA with the girls for MY friend's bachelorette party :-)

New job=Less time but more $$

A few months ago, I came to the realization that I needed to be making more money. I knew I didn't want to take on anymore group fitness or dance classes, so I decided to go back into Massage Therapy :) I haven't had the best luck the past few months finding somewhere that would work with scheduling me around my already   lets call it INTERESTING schedule. I didn't want to be giving up my classes to take on a part time job, and there's no way I want to do massage full-time, having to give up teaching for the most part. Both jobs are very physically demanding, but in different ways. There's almost no talking during a massage, where as I talk 95% of the time I'm teaching a dance/fitness class. 

Fun fact: When I first started teaching 16 dance classes/week at Aspire Academy, I lost my voice because I wasn't used to using it so much!

Needless to say, I was getting frustrated with all the dead-end interviews, or taking on a job that was on-call & NEVER getting booked. I had set up a website called "Find Touch" (I know, kind of a creepy name, but it's legit) which is a site where employers can search for therapists to ask them to apply for job openings, or you (yourself) can apply with your resume. I had used it to apply before, but had found nothing. Then one day, I received an email AND a phone call from them asking if I was interested in applying for their open position. I found out they're a member-based clinic (like Massage Envy) but pay better, and have some benefits offered for even PART-TIME employees :) I liked the way the job was sounding on the phone, so we scheduled an interview. After lots of talking and a practical on one of the owners, I was offered the position on the spot. I let them know the days/times I wanted to work, and that's currently when I'm scheduled.

I started last Wednesday, and in the 3 days (19 hrs) I've been there I've already had 10 massages. The owner actually APOLOGIZED for my only having 2 scheduled on my first day. Now, this is amazing for someone who used to work at high-end salon/spas where 10 massages was considered good if you were scheduled 5 or more days out of the week!! Working at my very last spa, I was scheduled 4 days per week, and was lucky if I saw 8 clients. I used to make 10 my GOAL!! 

I'm very happy that massage therapy is the primary focus of this establishment and that everyone (so far) is so nice to one another. Everything I need is provided, AND I'M MAKING MORE MONEY!! Always a plus :) The only thing about adding another job to my schedule, is I don't have as much time with Apollo as I used to...last week being the first time I've been away from him for over 10 hours some days! Luckily, Chase works .6 miles from where we live & comes home on his lunch break to let him out. I've dedicated Sunday's & Tuesday's to spending as much time with Apollo as I can, which he loves :) I think he'll get used to it...he seems to be doing fine.

I'm no good at following guidelines...

Alright. I'm gonna admit it: I SUCK AT FOLLOWING GUIDELINES!!

I tried to stick with a 10 week workout plan, & I succeeded for a few days, but then life got in the way. I don't think I was meant to follow guidelines. I'm not that strict of a person! It's hard when you have a boyfriend that is naturally skinny. Chase can stop drinking beer, replace it with whiskey & lose 10 lbs. Me? I barely drink at all, so I have nothing to stop or replace whenever we go out! I ask for water with some lemon...DD all night baby!

My weakness? All things sugar-related. I've said many times that I would rather eat than drink my calories. Chase & I are both noticing a change in our bodies as we get older. He doesn't like working out (which is fine with me) & I don't like depriving myself (not so fine). We both like to eat like we're 5 years old...but we both enjoy healthy salads, and healthy breakfast foods.

In a brief discussion this morning, we decided to plan what we're going to eat for lunch and dinner while driving to work in the mornings. (He's able to come home for lunch everyday.) We bought some whole grain wraps at Trader Joe's this weekend and have discussed eating those for lunch the next few days with some grilled chicken & veggies. Dinners will consist of homemade turkey bacon & spinach quiche's as well as Chase's fantastic homemade chili.

I will say this so it's public, but there's no 100% guarantee. I'm trying for the ever so slight lifestyle change so it's good for both of us & not something I'm trying to do alone while he sits in the corner sulking that I'm not able to eat what he's eating. I've done the whole, "don't ask me what's for dinner because I'm doing a cleanse this week" and it's taken its toll. I need to stop my "quick fix" thinking, and focus on slight lifestyle changes...that being said, I'm on my 2nd cup of detox tea! I can't get enough! It tastes surprisingly good!

Detox Tea:
8 oz hot water
1/2 lemon squeezed
2-3 shakes cinnamon & cayenne pepper
1 cap full of apple cider vinegar

This tea is said to help suppress hunger and regulate blood sugar levels. Thanks, Pinterest ;)

10 Week Workout Plan (Pinterest)

Today, my post is about Pinterest. This website/application gives us the capability to "pin" things we want to remember on different online boards. My favorite thing to find on Pinterest is workout plans and healthy meal planning. For some reason today, I decided to put into action something that I pinned yesterday. It's a 10 Week Workout Plan that gives you daily exercises and weekly cardio assignments.

January 7th, 2013 marks my first day/week of trying out this program. Here are some photos I took after my first workout today. Hopefully I'll look like the model above soon ;) (but with bigger boobs!)

A new kind of resolution: 2013 style

It wouldn't be a New Year without a Resolution or FIVE! 2012 was a year of welcomed changes in the CB household. Chase got a new job, I got some new dance/teaching gigs, and Apollo got a lot of new stuff that made both Chase & I's lives easier/more fun! I've decided that my resolution this year will not be health-based like everyone else's seem to be. (Though I do work in the health/fitness industry.)

My resolution(s) for 2013 are personal & professionally based:
*Teach/take more classes & get certified to teach a different type of class other than dance-fitness based
*Recruit more people outside of the gym/studio to take my classes
*Walk Apollo 5 days per week, & play with him at home (more often than telling him to go lie down on the couch!)
*Go on a real DATE with Chase (outside of our apartment) at least once a week.
*Find a hobby other than sitting at home &/or blogging!!

Not to get down on everyone who makes health/weight loss resolutions, but 9 times out of ten- they don't stick!! If I were to make a health based resolution this year, it would be to try different types of exercise classes I wouldn't normally go to. Such as, CYCLING or a YOGA class. I've never in my life taken a Cycling class, but I LOVE riding the stationary bikes at the gym!

I'm not making it a part of my resolution, but I will say a BIG goal for 2013 is to become a Certified Personal Trainer :-D The only thing that's been holding me back is saving enough money to be able to afford both the materials and the test fees. I feel Personal Training is something that I would be good at with all my other licenses and background training with Massage Therapy, Dancing, & Group Fitness.